Portable bumper mounted picnic table with umbrella support



3, 1967 J. R. WENTWORTH 3,

PORTABLE BUMPER MOUNTED PICNIC TABLE WITH UMBRELLA SUPPORT Filed June 7 10, 1965 l/ 27 /2 l0 l9 7 v I 0 1-1- 1 J' l 4 ul I 1 a 14- WEI-2 22 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,295,473 PORTABLE BUMPER MOUNTED PICNIC TABLE WITH UMBRELLA SUPPORT Jesse R. Wentworth, 6161 Nathaniel St.,

Dayton, Ohio 45427 Filed June 10, 1965, Ser. No. 462,836 4 Claims. (Cl. 108-152) This invention relates to a novel picnic table supplied in packaged form. The table is particularly designed to facilitate its use in connection with an automobile and will be so described. However it will become obvious that its use and application is not so limited.

When a family is travelling cross country in an automobile, there are many places where it is difficult to obtain adequate restaurant service. For this reason, in many instances food will be carried in the car for use as and when the need requires. Further, when the time comes for a rest and partaking of the food, it is often quite difficult to find a spot to comfortably eat. The provision of a picnic table in accordance with the present invention obviates this problem.

While table structures have been provided for similar purposes in the past, the present invention provides one which is simpler to fabricate and extremely easy to erect and disassemble. Moreover, it provides one which, in the mount thereof, offers a sturdier support for a stabilized table surface which can be readily levelled.

Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide a picnic table which is economical to fabricate, more eflicient and satisfactory in use, and adaptable to a wide variety of applications.

A further object of the invention is to provide a picnic table in packaged form which has the simplest of component structure and is therefore easy to erect and disassemble.

Another object of the invention is to provide a picnic table particularly suited for use by automobile travellers and featuring support means affording a simple stabilized mount thereof by interconnection with the bumper of an automobile.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaged picnic table of the type described enabling a ready addition of an umbrella type shade structure.

An additional object of the invention is to provide structural elements afiording a picnic table possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics and the means and mode of use herein described.

With the above and other incidental objects in view as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and the mode of operation as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings, or their equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shown one but obviously not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bumper mounted picnic table in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the table support structure;

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2 with certain detail removed for clarity of disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a table segment having a preferred form in accordance with the present invention.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views.

As seen in the drawings, the table support structure has the simplest of components, most of which have an "ice essentially tubular form.

A tube section 10 includes to one end thereof a clamp 11 formed in this instance with a projected hook portion 12. The portion 12 cups over'the upper edge of. an automobile bumper B and has .a dependent plate portion 13 which angles away from the bumper. 'I'hreadedly engaged through the plate portion 13 is a shaft 14. To one end thereof the shaft 14 mounts a universally adjustable pad 15 and at right angles to its other end, which has a sleeve form, it mounts a slip fit control bar 16. By turning shaft 14 through the medium of the bar 16 to press the pad v15 against the front surface of the bumper B the tube 10 may obviously be caused to assume a selected position of projection as referenced to a ground surface.

The tube 10 is axially extended by an end abutting tube 17. The tube sections 10 and 17 are interconnected by having their abutting ends bridged by an interiorly telescoped short tube or rod 18. The rod 18 is fixed to tubes 10 and 17 by set screws .19 .as seen in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

Fixed by welding to the end of tube 17 remote from the clamp 11 is a relatively perpendicularly oriented sleeve 20. Slidably received in the sleeve 20 is a support tube 21 the lower end of which may seat to ground surface or, as shown, in a cup portion formed on a foot plate 22. The upper end of tube 21 projects upwardly to mount a plate assembly 23 which affords .a table surface.

As illustrated, the plate assembly 23 consists of four segments 24. However, the number of segments need not be so limited. Each segment 24 has a quadrant form and an arcuate cut forming .a recess 25 at its apex. At its apex and immediately inward of the arcuate out each segment has fixed thereto a bracket including a vertically dependent finger 26.

Fixed about the upper end of tube 21 at each of equal- 1y spaced intervals are four short tube sections 27, each being adapted to slidably receive a finger 26 of a table segment 24. g

It may therefore be seen that the entire picnic table may be carried in a compact package form, the compo nents being of the simplest configuration. When the table is needed while travelling, one attaches the tube 10 to the automobile bumper, interconnects its extension tube 17 by insertion of rod 18 and application of set screws 19 and slips the support tube 2.1 through the vertically orienting sleeve portion 20. On adjusting the shaft 14 one achieves a desired levelling of the support arm afforded by the tube sections 19 and 17 Then the table segments 24 are applied by dropping their fingers 26 respectively through a tube section 27 on the tube 21. The interrelation of its finger 26 to a tube 27 is such to offer a firm support of a table segment as the undersurface of its apex portion seats on the top of the associated tube 27.

Once the segments 24 are applied, the table surface so provided may be further adjusted, if so desired, by turning the shaft 14.

It will be noted that when the table segments are assembled, their arcuate cuts mutually define an opening to the top of the support tube 21. This permits the shaft 28 of a tube or rod support for an umbrella 29 to be dropped in the tube 21 and be contained thereby. In this way a shade device is so provided as to complete a unique picnic table stabilized by attachment to the bumper B. Of course it should be obvious that the table support could be similarly applied to similarly formed structures in any location,

The invention thus provides the simplest of picnic table structure which is easily carried in a compact form and can be quickly erected without tools.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantages before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed'comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, andthe invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications Within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A portable picnic table readily assembled and disassembled, including an arm unit for generally horizontal disposition cooperatively to engage at its one end a relatively stationary support, a post connected to said arm unit to assume a generally vertical position, the upper projecting end of said post including socket means, and a plurality of table segments which when brought to an assembled relation define a table, each segment having dependent finger means to engage in said socket means and be supported thereby in laterally projecting relation to said post, said segments having their inner ends meeting at said post and commonly in an overlying relation to the upper end of said post, said dependent finger means being located adjacent to the inner end of each segment.

2. A portable table readily assembled and disassembled, including an. arm unit for generally horizontal disposition cooperatively to engage at its one end a relatively stationary support, a post connected to said arm 'unit to assume a generally vertical position, the upper projecting end of said post having a peripheral socketmeans thereon, and a plurality of table segments which when brought to an assembled relation define a table, each segment having dependent finger means to engage in said socket 'means and be supported thereby in laterally projecting relation to said post, said segments have inner ends meeting at said post, said dependent finger means being located adjacent to the inner end of each segment with said inner end thereof relatively projecting to overlie the upper end of said post.

3. A portable table according to claim 2, characterized in that the inner end of each segment is cut away to define with the inner endsof companion segments a center opening in the table aligned with said post, said ,post having a recessed upper end forming with the opening in said table an umbrella socket or the like.

4. A portable table readily assembled and disassembled, including an arm unit for generally horizontal disposition cooperatively to engage at its one end a relatively stationary support, a post connected to said am unit to assume a generally vertical position, the upper projecting end of said post having peripheral socketmeans thereon and being axially recessed to form other socket means, and a plurality of table segments which when brought to an assembled relation define a table, each seg-.

ment having dependent finger means adjacent an inner end thereof to engage in said peripheral socket means and be supported thereby in laterally projecting relation to said post, the inner end of each segment being cut awayto define with the inner ends of companion segments a cen ter opening substantially conforming to cross-sectional dimensions of said post, the said other socket in said post being adapted to mount an umbrell or the like for disposal over the table.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 199,919 2/1879 McAdams 108-106 1,162,608 11/1915 Hohl et a1 248-43 X 1,173,665 2/1916 Jakab 108-50 2,162,297 6/1939 Dailey 108-66 2,605,155 7/1952 Lewis 108-139 I 2,625,985 1/1953 Morgan et a1 248-121 2,721,777 10/ 1955 Willis 108-44 2,799,543 7/ 1957 Tomaselli 108-50 1 2,833,608 5/1958 Tobias 108-44 2,988,310 6/1961 Wright 108-49 X r FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Examiner. I. T. MCCALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PORTABLE PICNIC TABLE READILY ASSEMBLED AND DISASSEMBLED, INCLUDING AN ARM UNIT FOR GENERALLY HORIZONTAL DISPOSITION COOPERATIVELY TO ENGAGE AT ITS ONE END A RELATIVELY STATIONARY SUPPORT, A POST CONNECTED TO SAID ARM UNIT TO ASSUME A GENERALLY VERTICAL POSITION, THE UPPER PROJECTING END OF SAID POST INCLUDING SOCKET MEANS, AND A PLURALITY OF TABLE SEGMENTS WHICH WHEN BROUGHT TO AN ASSEMBLED RELATION DEFINE A TABLE, EACH SEGMENT HAVING DEPENDENT FINGER MEANS TO ENGAGE IN SAID SOCKET MEANS AND BE SUPPORTED THEREBY IN LATERALLY PROJECTING RELATION TO SAID POST, SAID SEGMENTS HAVING THEIR INNER ENDS MEET- 